This invention is a novel construction for a book having a filler made up partly of printed pages and partly of a stiff and relatively thick panel which has one or more sockets therein for holding apparatus that is used in conjunction with the reading matter of the book. This apparatus preferably includes a sound record, such as a recorded tape cassette and may also include transparent slides that can be projected as illustrations for the book.
The preferred construction has hard covers that project beyond the top, bottom and front edges of the filler; and the relatively thick panel is preferably of the same dimensions as the pages and with its edges of the same color, so that when the book is closed it presents the appearance of an ordinary book without accentuating the presence of the relatively thick panel which contains sockets for holding the record and/or transparencies.
The illustrated embodiment of the invention has a loose back so that the book will lie in open position on a table or other support; and a tape to which the filler is connected, extends partway across the inside surfaces of the front and back panels of the cover with the tape at the rearward cover panel hidden by the socket panel and with the tape at the front cover hidden by an end paper or other lining of the inside front cover.
The sound record or recorded tape cassette is preferably held in its socket by friction; but in order to make the removal of the lantern slides more easily accomplished, they are preferably held in sockets of somewhat greater cross section than the lantern slides and the slides are held in the sockets by a band or strap extending across the open, front end of the lantern slide socket. An elastic band removably connected to hooks on opposite sides of the transparency socket provides an effective and inexpensive construction for retaining the slides in their socket.
The record and the transparencies are adjuncts for the bound sheets with their reading matter and/or pictures.
If the book is of large enough size, the socket panel can be made with a plurality of sockets for holding more than one cassette and/or groups of transparencies for projection.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the description proceeds.